Adenosine is a well-known nucleoside which plays a significant role in the metabolism in the form of its phosphates.
However, adenosine has not been significant in the past as a pharmaceutical because, inter alia, it is metabolized extremely quickly upon enteral and parenteral administration. Topical application of adenosine has been totally unknown up to present.
It has not been found that adenosine, when applied topically, surprisingly demonstrates an excellent effect on controlling various types of herpes, in particular herpes labialis, herpes zoster, and herpes genitalis.